Directed discharge blower chute and method

Abstract

An outlet chute (10) for a blower device to guide the expulsion of leaves, grass or other debris, having an inlet portion (26) and a bifurcated outlet portion (28) including a first outlet duct (30) and a second outlet duct (32) which direct debris in opposing lateral directions. A deflector vane (34) is disposed within bifurcated outlet portion (28) to deflect expelled debris to one of the first outlet duct and second outlet duct. The first outlet duct (30) allows for the expulsion of debris in substantially the same direction in which it leaves the blower housing and is configured to expel the debris closer to the ground than second outlet duct (32), which expels debris with less thrust and at higher elevation. A method of using a blower device equipped with the chute includes making a series of parallel passes with each pass in a direction opposite to that of its adjacent passes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A bi-directional debris chute for use in combination with a ground blower device having a horizontal rotating impeller which expels blown debris through an outlet port, the debris chute comprising: an inlet portion connectible to the outlet port of the blower device for receiving debris therefrom;   a bifurcated outlet portion in flow communication with the inlet portion for discharging blown debris from the debris chute, the bifurcated outlet portion comprising a first outlet duct terminating in a first discharge end and a second outlet duct terminating in a second discharge end, the first and second discharge ends facing in laterally opposite directions to respectively discharge blown debris to laterally opposite sides of the debris chute, the first and second outlet ducts being dimensioned and configured so that the first outlet duct imposes a greater pressure drop upon the blown debris than does the second outlet duct whereby, at a given output level of the impeller, blown debris is discharged with greater force from the second outlet duct than from the first outlet duct; and   an adjustable deflector vane mounted in the debris chute and movable between a first position in which the first outlet duct is open and the second outlet duct is blocked, and a second position in which the first outlet duct is blocked and the second outlet duct is open, for selectively discharging the blown debris from only one of the first and second outlet ducts.   
     
     
       2. The debris chute of claim 1 in combination with a propellable blower device comprising a housing defining an outlet port for expelling debris from the housing, a horizontally rotating impeller rotatably mounted within the housing for impelling debris in a horizontal circular path within the housing, and further comprising power means mounted on the housing for rotating the impeller.   
     
     
       3. The debris chute of claim 2 wherein the impeller comprises a cutting blade. 
     
     
       4. The debris chute of claim 2 wherein the blower device is a powered lawn mower having a mower blade and the mower blade comprises the impeller. 
     
     
       5. The debris chute of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first outlet duct is dimensioned and configured to discharge blown debris at a greater height from the ground than the second outlet duct. 
     
     
       6. The debris chute of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the first outlet duct is dimensioned and configured to impose on the blown debris approximately a ninety degree change in direction from the direction of peripheral rotation of the impeller in the vicinity of the inlet duct, and the second outlet duct is dimensioned and configured to impose on the blown debris a change of direction of less than about thirty degrees from the direction of peripheral rotation of the impeller in the vicinity of the inlet duct. 
     
     
       7. The debris chute of claim 6 wherein the first outlet duct is dimensioned and configured to discharge blown debris at a greater height from the ground than the second outlet duct. 
     
     
       8. The debris chute of claim 6 wherein the adjustable deflector vane has a contour which is curved to conform to the curvature of the first outlet duct when the deflector vane is in its second position. 
     
     
       9. The debris chute of claim 6 further comprising a pair of adjustable damper means respectively mounted on the first and second discharge ends for controlling the discharge of blown debris therefrom. 
     
     
       10. A method for clearing debris from a littered area using a device adapted to be propelled over the area in selected travel directions, to expel debris selectively in one of first and second opposite lateral discharge directions with a greater degree of force in the first discharge direction than in the second discharge direction, the method comprising: selecting the first discharge direction and making a first pass by propelling the device in a first travel direction in a first lane, to deposit debris and form a debris bank located more than one lane from the first lane; and   selecting the second discharge direction and making a second pass in a second travel direction opposite to the first travel direction in a second lane abutting and parallel to the first lane and located between the first lane and the debris bank, whereby debris is discharged during the second pass in the same direction as in the first pass and the debris is deposited on the debris bank.   
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 further comprising making subsequent passes in sequentially adjacent lanes, and alternating the travel direction and the discharge direction on each subsequent pass. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 10 or claim 11 wherein clearing debris includes chopping the debris into mulch debris. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 10 or claim 11 including operating the device to overlap a minor portion of each prior lane.